


Colors (Are Bittersweet To me)

by Hipster_life231



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Chaptered, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Minor Character Death, Phanfiction, Septiplier AWAY!, Supernatural Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-04-30
Packaged: 2018-10-25 21:37:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10772946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hipster_life231/pseuds/Hipster_life231
Summary: He knew pain.It wasn't the pain of losing a phone or hitting your calf on a table corner.He knew pain of being beaten mercilessly.He knew pain of losing everyone.He knew the pain that colors could bring to his eyes.His entire life story left a bittersweet taste in his mouth.He never did like colors all that much.Maybe they could change that.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work on Archive so please don't judge too harshly. :)

**-Prologue-**

 

Daniel James Howell was a lot of things. Above all, he was a freak.

He was born to parents who were illegal in themselves. Their parents had two powers each. Everyone knew that two Rogues were not supposed to breed. But they had anyway.

They thought that their kids would be either born with one power or none at all. Of course, a Mage had never had more than three powers. If you had more than three, well, the power would consume and kill you.

Dan's parents each had four powers. They tried and almost had a girl before a miscarriage took her away. Then they had Dan.

When Dan was born he, well, he was something they never anticipated. Someone with more than four powers couldn't exist. Could they?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited for this book. It's been on my mind for a while.


	2. Chapter 1

**-Chapter 1-**

 

"Dan it's time for supper!" Lilian called up to her soon. He practically zoomed down the stairs at the prospect of food. His eyes were bright and happy and his chubby cheeks were red and spread in a smile.

"Spaghetti!" He squealed as he sat and prepared for dinner. His father gave him a broad grin before pinching his cheek.

"Mumma can I have another pink jumper for my birthday?" He asked. His mother could barely withhold the giggle that came to her lips. Her son was so infatuated with Whinnie the Poo that he tried to speak like the adorable bear when he was younger. She guesses that the accent stuck.

"Yeah sweetheart." She smiled and sat next to her husband, Jace.

Everything was calm and the family talked and joked as usual. Then disaster hit.

A booming knock echoed across the house and Lilian looked at her husband in fear.

He nodded as they stood and walked to the door. Dan curiously got up to follow them. He watched as his mother levitated picture frames that zoomed into the closet. His father's hands burst into flames as he surveyed the door.

"Daniel honey." His mother whispered as she kneeled beside him. "Let's play hide and seek." He nodded before scampering off to hide in a kitchen cupboard. He'd played hide and seek with his parents multiple times and they could never find him when he hid in there.

As he sat there, cramped up against bottles of disinfectant, he heard the door open and muddled voices.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He stayed put for what felt like hours before he heard footsteps walking past.

He, being the innocent little four year old he was, thought it was his dad and couldn't contain the giggle that slipped from his lips.

The footsteps stopped before coming closer.

Dan covered his mouth and grinned. He loved hide and seek and whenever he was found his father tried to scare him.

Then the cupboard door opened and Dan realized that the person who found him wasn't his father.

"Found ya you little brat." The man snarled before dragging Dan from his hiding spot and into the living room where his parents were sitting on the couch with guns to their heads.

"Mommy what's happening. Daddy are you okay?" A thin trail of blood was going down Jace's face but he gave his son a reassuring smile.

"Boss look at this. Jackpot!" A man called after a beep rang in Dan's ear. "I've never seen anything like it." Another man said.

All of the men wore red. Even their faces were covered in ski masks.

"You won't mind if we take this kid off your hands do you?" A guy who was different then the others asked. He seemed to be the boss of everyone else.

"No! Please not our son! " Lilian screamed and Dan began to cry. He wanted his mum and dad. Out of the corner of his eye he could see someone painting a red shield on the wall.

"Momma what's happening?" He sobbed and Lilian dissolved into tears next to her struggling husband.

"Take me instead! Not him! Not Dan!" Jace yelled but it was to late. Dan was being dragged outside and the parents watched in horror as he screamed on his way out.

"Mommy! Daddy! No stop! Stop! That hurts! Momma don't let them take me!" His screams were torture to his parents. Soon they were fading away then gone altogether.

\--

The only feeling he had was pain. His temple throbbed and the rest of his body was on fire. He felt that if he opened his eyes it would all be real.

If he tried hard enough he could imagine that he was back home with his parents. He hadn't been kidnapped and he was going to open his eyes and his mother would smile and offer some spaghetti.

"Is he okay?"

"I don't know. He's not waking up."

"He's moving!"

Dan's eyes opened and he slowly sat up. His eyes widened in fear as he realized that multiple people were staring down at him curiously.

"It's okay hon." One woman but Dan was too busy panicking. Tears slipped down his rosy cheeks and he backed himself against a wall. "We aren't gonna hurt you."

"Mum? Where is my mummy?" He asked and a couple of people awed. "My daddy said it would be okay. But it's not."

"I-I don't understand." One woman with strawberry blonde hair whispered. Her brown eyes swept over Dan and she tilted her head.

"Why would they take a child? I've never seen this before. I knew they were cruel but." She didn't complete her thought as everyone watched Dan look around the room.

The room itself was quiet large but with so many people cramped inside it seemed tiny. The walls were a dull gray and there were no windows. The ceiling looked damp and sagged as if it were about to crush everyone under it.

One corner held bathrooms while another held an array of cots and makeshift pallets.

"What's your power kid?" A man asked. His hair was short and dark. His eyes were a chocolate color and he had a warm, dimpled smile. He had smooth, dark skin and soft looking hands. He looked to be in his mid twenties.

Dan hesitated as he looked around at the people. His mum had told him multiple times that If anyone ever asked what his power was he'd say gardening. It was mostly harmless and nobody would think much of it.

"I can grow things. Plants mostly." He said. He held out his chubby palm and a beautiful Daisy began to bloom and wrap around his finger. "It's not much." He whispered before looking up. He wished he hadn't.

Horror and shock covered the adults faces. Dan's flowers disappeared and fear filled his gut.

"How did you-? This room is heavily warded. No one can do magic in here. That takes someone powerful. Wow." One guy jabbered as he stared at Dan's empty palm in awe.

"This kid is powerful. We have to protect him at all costs." The guy who had asked Dan his power said. "I'm Albus. What's your name and how old are you?" He said softly as he sat in front of the small boy.

"I'm Dan and I'm this many." He said as he held up four chubby fingers. "I'm a big boy." He promised with a nod.

Pain crossed the hearts of everyone in the room.

"Do you think they'll surge him?" A red haired woman asked.

"I don't know Charlie." Albums said as Dan began to tell another group of people about his best friend Winnie the Poo.

"We have to protect him. At all costs."


	3. Chapter 2

**-Chapter 2-**

"Dan are you up?" A voice asked and Dan smiled into the darkness.

"You know I'm always awake Poppy." He replied and the girl giggled softly.

Dan watched as she raised her head and a curtain of bleach blonde hair fell over her green eyes. She squinted in the darkness but he knew no matter how hard she tried she wouldn't be able to see anything.

"You can't see anything can you?" She asked and Dan purses his lips.

"No." He lied. He hated to lie to people but he was still under the cover of a garden Mage. Nobody knew his secret.

"Well, since we are both blind and supposed to be asleep, how about a meeting." She said and he watched her climb to her feet. Then she moved over to shake Sean awake.

"What do you want?" He grumbled as he sat up and rubbed his eyes.

"A little light would be useful." She said and Sean snorted.

"Too bad that a) we can't use our powers and b) I'm a bloody teleport. Not a light switch." Dan laughed softly and shook his head as his two friends stood up and did their best to maneuver through the darkness.

"Dan where is Andy?" Poppy asked as Sean sat down and yawned.

"Sleeping in my lap." He replied and ran a hand over the small girls soft brown hair. "I wish Charlie and Albus could see her now." He whispered sadly.

"If they were here they would be so happy that you're taking care of her." Sean smiled. "I wish we knew them as well as you did." He added as an after thought.

"They were the nicest people ever." Dan mumbled and grinned. "Albus was a human dictionary. He would always recite Harry Potter to me before I went to sleep."

"Those books are old." Sean chuckled and shook his head. "Me mam used ta read them to me when I was a kid. I miss her a lot." He sighed.

"I wish I'd gotten to know my parents better." Dan said with a tone of sadness. Poppy and Sean listened tentatively. Dan never did talk about them much.

"My dad was one of the most energetic people you could ever meet. Despite this he procrastinated like there was no tomorrow. He was always finding something to do around the house. I remember he would pick me up and swing me around when we were playing.

"My mum was almost the opposite. She was soft and calm. She always got things done and never gave up on anything. They were perfect for each other and they both loved me. I barely know them yet I miss them so much." He finished. He was still running his hand over Andy's soft curls.

"That's totally normal. We're always here for you Dan." Poppy whispered. Dan beamed at them even though he knew they couldn't see him.

They knew he appreciated their words though and joined in a group hug.

\---

"Are you feeling alright?" Asked Dana, a short, plump woman with short brown hair and motherly blue eyes.

A crowd had formed around Dan but he only squeezed his eyes tighter. Sweat pooled on his forehead and he could almost feel the way his body drained of color.

"Please." He whispered. His body was numb but on fire all at the same time. He needed sleep but he was the most awake he'd ever been.

"Please what Dan?" Poppy asked as she crouched in front of him.

"I knew it would happen eventually but... if he doesn't get out of here soon, He will die." Avery, a woman who had been with Dan since he'd been brought to the horrid place, said softly.

"The things they do. You could never imagine. My body can't take much more of it." Dan spoke up in a broken voice. A whimper escaped his lips as a small hand rested on his upper arm.

"Poppa are you okay?" Andy asked and her voice calmed him.

"Yeah I am." He whispered. She curled up on his stomach and tears gathered in his eyes before he opened them.

"Please." He said to Elaine, another woman who'd been there since he had. Her strawberry blonde hair was going grey and her eyes began to dull.

"We'll get you out. All four of you." She promised. Dan smiled before drifting into a dreamless sleep.

\---

It was the night of the escape.

Dan was weak. Poppy and Sean (and Andy, though she was a bit small and could only hold his hand) helped him as they weaseled passed the guards and through a door that was open.

The escape went greatly. It was almost too easy.

Unknown to them the Red Nights knew of their escape. They just wanted to get rid of some people.

Sadly, as soon as they found out their favorite boy was gone everything would fall apart. 


	4. Chapter 3

**-chapter 3-**

"Are you sure about this?" Dan asked as he stared up at the grey stones building. Andy's grip around him tightened.

"Yeah. Growing up you'd always hear about Wellington. Apparently it's the safest place out there for us Mage's." Poppy said with a firm nod.

"I think we should get it over with." Sean said as he popped in out of nowhere. Ever since their escape he wouldn't stop teleporting. His excuse was that he'd missed it.

"Alright I guess." He murmured softly.

\--

The inside of the building was vastly different from the outside.

The walls were a cheerful blue and everything seemed clean. It wasn't the artificial clean either. It had a homey atmosphere. The only thing slightly strange was how it was devoid of life.

"Hello." A woman said as she seemingly walked through a wall. Everyone jumped slightly and Dan pushed Andy behind him.

"I see you must be looking for the school? Of course you are! Only a Mage could get in here." She chuckled softly and shook her head.

Her hair was brown and down in loose waves. She wore thick rimmed glasses and dark red lipstick.

"I'm Rosemary. First I'll need first names to put in the database. You can even use a nickname if you want." She said with a broad smile.

"I'm Poppy Hayes."

"Sean Mcloghlen or Jack."

"Dan."

"Who's she poppa?" Andy asked softly and Dan glanced at her. She stretched out her arms and that was all it took for Dan to pick her up and rest her on his hip.

"What's your name hun?" Rosemary asked kindly.

"Andy." Dan said quickly. He looked down and moved a curl from her eyes.

"She yours?" Rosemary asked and Dan nodded shyly.

Nerves erupted throughout his body. What if they didn't take him because of his daughter? Of course he'd make sure that Andy got in. But what then? Despite his worries Rosemary smiled indulgently.

"That's fine. Believe it or not we have quite a few people who were kicked out for having kids." Rosemary said with a warm grin. Dan eased only slightly.

"Well let's give you the tour. We'll start with the dorms."

The tour itself gave a lot of information. Everything Dan heard he stored into his head to creat a map of the school. It should be easy for him to maneuver around the school.

There were cafeterias, music room, class rooms, and, to Dan's immense surprise, a training gym.

"We don't suppress your powers." Rosemary said matter of factly as Dan stared at it curiously. "We help you build and control them in a good environment."

In the end all three of them had been separated.

Poppy would share a room with a girl named Lily and Sean would bunk with a boy named Mark.

Dan would be rooming alone with his daughter.

"So I know you're all tired. PJ!" She called as a boy with curly hair walked by.

In the middle of the tour school had ended and students were moving round the hallways.

"Can you take these guys to their rooms? Dan has the one across from yours and Jack here is rooming to your right." Rosemary said and Pj grinned.

"Before I forget. What are your powers?"

"I have telekinesis and invisibility." Poppy said.

"Teleportationand ice." Jack grinned.

"Gardening, telekinetic and healer. Andy is telekinetic." Dan said and blushed when PJ stared at him with wide eyes.

Of course over time Dan couldn't hide the fact that he more than one power. People began to wonder why the Red Nights would take him. He'd tried to think of the most innocent powers possible.

The walk to the dorms wasn't as awkward as Dan thought it would be.

Soon Poppy had to split from the group when she found her new roommate and walked to the dorm with her.

"Well these are your rooms." Pj said with a smile and Andy buried her face in Dan's neck. "If you ever need anything me and my roommate Phil are right across the hall."

Dan walked into his room and Andy left his arms to go explore.

He looked around and he stared at the closet curiously. It seemed to be automated and spit out whatever you asked for.

Dan remembered Rosemary telling him that he needed to scan his and Andy's bodies so the computer could get their measurement right. Then they had to put in their finger prints.

Andy had finished exploring and walked up to the closet. Dan got them each some pajamas and got them ready for bed.

It was late at night and Andy was curled up comfortably at his side. Her soft breathing filled the room and dan stared at the ceiling blankly.

He was nervous.

The Red Nights wouldn't just give up on looking for him. He knew that.

All he had to do was keep Andy safe and protect her. He had no idea what he'd do if she got hurt. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself. He would never let anything harm her.

Even if it meant giving his life for hers.


	5. Chapter 4

**-Chapter 4-**

Dan jolted awake and f retexpected to be back in his old prison. He expected to open his eyes and see everyone else waking up with dull eyes and sullen expressions.

"Poppa I'm hungry." Andy whispered. Dan nodded and stood up. He stretched and helped Andy out of bed.

"We'll get cleaned up then go down for breakfast." Dan assured her before taking her to the bathroom.

He hesitated slightly before turning the knobs and feeling the water. The process was a bit long but in the end he found the right temperature.

Andy undressed and he sat her in the tub. Her eyes widened at the feeling of being submerged in warm water for the first time in her life.

"Poppa this feels nice." She giggled and he gave her a warm smile before squirting some shampoo into her hair.

Before long she was finished and dressed. He took her into the living room and sat her on the couch. The TV turned on and was immediately changed to a cartoon.

Dan nodded, impressed, before going to the bathroom and turning on the shower. As soon as he'd done it once he knew how to work the thing.

As he climbed under the warm water he closed his eyes. He hadn't felt something like this in years. He flinched as the years of torture he survived surged back.

\--

_"C'mon Dan." A gruff voice whispered in his ear. "I know you can do it."_

_At the time Dan was twelve years old. His hands were strapped to a chair along with his legs and he was gagged and blindfolded._

_They were pushing him too hard._

_His entire body was burning and he felt like he couldn't breath. There was a repeated punch to his stomach every five minutes._

_It was about an hour before anything happened._

_First his hair caught fire then it was the rest of his body. Flames licked his skin but he felt nothing. Exhaustion ran through his veins and the blindfold had begun to soak with his tears._

_"That's what I like to see." Another voice growled._

_"How many is that?" The first gruff voice asked and Dan's body began to shake. His flames were slowly dying._

_"Four more in the last month!"_

_"Good boy Danny." The gruff voice grunted and Dan felt as water was thrown over him and his flames died._

_The blindfold was ripped from his eyes and the gag was taken away. As soon as his restraints fell he was on the floor._

_Sweat collected on his forehead and his entire body shook._

_The sad thing was this wasn't the worst he'd been through or was going to have done to him._

\--

Dan and Andy were on their way to breakfast.

Andy wore a soft blue t-shirt with adorable black jeans and white Adidas.

Dan was dressed in all black. Black shirt, black pants, black converse.

"You know it's your birthday tomorrow right?" Dan asked his daughter as she skipped slightly ahead of him but kept a firm grip on his hand.

He had long since realized that tomorrow his daughter would be the same age as he was when he was taken. He was determined to not let that happen to her.

"Yeah! I gonna be four!" She squealed and he smiled fondly at her.

As soon as they entered the cafeteria Dan seized up. Everything was too loud and too bright. Andy sensed her fathers discomfort and squeezed his hand.

He swooped down and scooped her up in his arms. She kissed his cheeks and rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's gonna be okay poppa." She whispered and Dan nodded as he spotted Jack and Poppy. They seemed to have waited for him with other people.

He sat down and smiled uneasily.

"Hey Dan." Jack said soothingly. He could see the slight panic in his friends eyes.

"This is Mark, my roommate, and this is Phil, he's PJ's roommate" He said softly as he pointed to each.

Mark had crimson colored hair and soft brown eyes. He grinned widely and waved at Dan. He was broad shouldered and wore a black t-shirt with a flannel. He also had on blue skinny jeans and black converse.

"Hello." He said in a deep narrator like voice.

Phil was really pretty in Dan's opinion. He had soft blue eyes and a crooked smile. His cheekbones were sharp and his skin was pale. His hair was black which contrasted beautifully with his milky skin.

"This," Poppy smiled, "is Lily and Louise. Louis also has a daughter. Her name is Darcy. They live across the hall from Lily and I." She explained.

Lily was a skinny dark skinned girl with cool brown eyes and long black hair.

Louise was a slightly plump girl with blonde hair and a sweet smile. In her lap sat a girl that looked just like her. Darcy seemed to be the same age as Andy.

"H-Hi." Dan whispered. "I'm Dan and this is my daughter Andy."

"It's nice to meet you Dan." Lily chuckled and Phil said the same.

"Maybe our daughters could have a play date! How old is she?" Louis said excitedly.

"She's three. Her birthdays tomorrow." He said and looked down.

"How old are you?" Mark asked curiously.

"I'm seventeen. I turn eighteen next month. What are your powers?" He said, asking a question of his own.

"I can levitate." Lily shrugged.

"I'm a techy." PJ grinned.

"Teleport! Darcy is a shapeshifter." Louise added.

"Um. I can control the elements." Phil shrugged awkwardly?

"All of them?" Jack gawked.

"Yeah."

Dan, Poppy and Sean recited their powers before the table turned digital and the surface became a menu.

"Wow." Dan whispered along with his friends.

They skimmed the menu before Dan decided on eggs, bacon with apple juice for him and Andy. They'd split it. He knew their bodies would have to adjust before they stuffed their faces. It could get them sick.

As soon as their orders were placed a tray appeared in front of them.

Dan divided the food and began to feed Andy small bits at a time.

After her tenth bite, it seemed, she was full and her eyes were beginning to droop.

Dan took her into his arms and let her fall asleep to the pounding of his heart.

"You're good with her." Phil commented and Dan gave him a polite smile.

As they made their way out of the cafeteria a slip was presented to each student. It was their schedule for the day.

"You seem to have the same schedule as me! Except we have different training types. That usually happens though." Phil smiled and Dan chuckled softly.

"I'll show you the nursery. They'll take good care of Andy. It's mostly nurturers. They have the ability to help with kids. I think they'll like her a lot." He rambled and Dan only smiled patiently.

Phil seemed nice. He was about as tall as Dan and equally as awkward.

Dan had a notion that they would get along great.

"Lead the way." Dan smiled as he adjusted Andy on his lap.

He seemed to have made a new friend.


	6. Chapter 5

-chapter 5-

The lessons were somewhat interesting. A lot of the teachers would ask Dan if he needed help but he would decline because he'd already be able to grasp the subject. 

Before long it was time for training. 

"This is my favorite part of the day." Pj said as he and his friend Chris, also a techy, joined them. 

As the walked in a guy with blonde hair greeted them enthusiastically. He had two boys on either side. Each smiled and waved. 

"Hello I'm Tyler!" He introduced then pointed to the other boys. "This is Connor and Troye." 

"We're here to find out what group you're in." Connor smiled. 

Dan was surrounded by other kids he didn't know. They all looked nervous but ready. Luckily, most of them were his age. 

"Okay so we start with how well you can control your powers." Troye waved his hand and a baseball shooter appeared from thin air. 

"Start." Connor called and the baseballs began to shoot at random. 

Dan heard a few distant screams as other classmates were hit with balls but he was in his own element. 

A ball zoomed towards his face and he immediately ducked. Another one zoomed towards his leg but he held out a hand to stop it. 

Soon almost twenty balls had stopped and were floating around his head. His eyes had turned a deep purple and he chewed his bottom lip in concentration. 

"Woah." 

"Is he new?"

"That looks awesome."

At the sound of the curious voices Dan lowered the baseball until his was standing in a pool of them. 

"Uh." He whispered awkwardly as his eyes faded to their normal brown. 

"What's your name kid?" Tyler asked. He had a note of awe in his voice. 

"Dan." He said with wide eyes. "J-Just Dan."

"Well Dan I think you're ready for the elites." He said and he giggled. "That's never happened before."

Then Dan heard it. A slit click of a button and hiss of a machine. 

He pushed Tyler over and held out his hand. The ball stopped in midair and the machine turned off. 

"You think so?" He asked with a shy smile. 

\----

"This has never happened before!" Chris giggled. 

"A trainee has never made it to elite first try." Phil grinned as he hip checked Dan. 

The brown haired boy dipped his head and smiled. 

"Okay so in this group I'm the leader. We start with Phil. Make a snowstorm."

-

After that everything kind of blurred together. Dan had fun with his new friends and everything was fine. 

Phil walked with him to pick Andy up from the nursery. 

"Poppa!" She squealed as he came into sight. She hopped into his arms and kissed his cheeks. 

"I missed you." She whispered. She glanced over at Phil and squeezed Dan tighter. 

"That's Phil. You saw him at breakfast remember? He won't hurt you." He whispered to her. He missed the way Phil had to quickly hide his surprise. 

"I don't care about me. I don't want him to hurt you." Andy said softly as she grabbed his face in her little hands. He smiled warmly at her and shook his head. 

"He won't do that." He threw a wary glance to Phil who smiled and waited patiently. "I trust him." He told her with a firm nod. 

Phil, who had been trying (and failing) to not listen, turned bright red. 

"Now let's get back to the dorm."


	7. Chapter 6

-chapter 6-

Dan woke up to someone shaking him. 

The shaking wasn't harsh or anything. It was more of how gentle the touch was that got him to open his eyes. 

"C'mon Dan it's time to get up." A soft voice whispered in his ear. 

Dan pushed himself up and rubbed his eyes. His curls tickled his ears and his lids felt heavy. 

"You look adorable in the morning." A familiar voice said under his breath. Dan turned pink. He knew he shouldn't have heard it but he had. 

"Where's Andy?" Dan murmured sleepily. His words were punctuated with a long yawn. 

"She's in the living room with Louise, Peej, Jack, Poppy and Chris. She let us in." Phil said as he watched Dan climb out of bed and wander towards the closet. 

"I'll give you a second." He giggled awkwardly as he shuffled out of the room. 

Moments later Dan walked out of his room fully dressed. He'd brushed his teeth then tried (and failed) to tame his hobbit hair. 

"What's up?" He asked as he sat on the couch and Andy crawled into his lap. He began to twist her curls around his finger and bounce his knee. 

"Well today is what we like to call Fun Free Friday." Pj said excitedly. Dan tilted his head back and smiled. 

"It's Saturday." He said flatly. 

"Well we know that." Louise snorted, shaking her head. "On days like this we have nothing to do so we go out and explore." She explained. Darcy slid off her lap to sit on the floor and Andy went to join her. 

"Is that aloud?" Dan cringed at the thought of breaking the rules. He'd just gotten to the school for goodness sake. 

"Yeah. It's kind of like a field trip without the chaperones." Pj shrugged. "Only rule is that we can't use our powers while we're out there."

"I guess I'm up for it." Dan sighed and Andy looked up at him with a grin. "Where do you get the money to do this type of thing?"

"We earn it from doing work at the school. It's kind of like chores. Makes a lot of money. You're new so you have to get it manually the first time. If you go to your closet press the symbol that looks like a piggy bank." Pj told him. When Dan gave him an incredulous look he grinned. "I'm a techy Dan. It's in my skill level."

Dan did as he was told and found out he had about five hundred dollars on his card. 

"How on earth do I have so much!?" He asked, careful not to cuss in front of the kids. "I've been here two weeks!"

"That was our reaction." Sean laughed. "Apparently five hundred is a starting balance." 

"Yeah. They don't want you to be completely broke. You'll earn more as you do more." Phil piped in from his spot on the love seat next to Dan. 

"Hey, where is Mark?" Dan asked suddenly. He'd just noticed the missing red head. Jack rolled his eyes. 

"The big oaf spilled maple syrup all over the bed sheets. I spent all mornin trynna clean it." He said crossly. "He should be over in a second."

"You talk like you two share a bed." Dan smirked and wiggles his eyebrows. Everyone else 'ooh'd. 

"N-No we don't!" He said indignantly. 

Sean went scarlet and was saved, more less, by the door opening and a flustered Mark walking in. 

"Sorry I'm a bit late. Jack left his hair dye on the floor and I stepped on it. I had to clean up the mess." This only caused Jack turn even redder and Dan to snort loudly. 

"I ship it." He muttered loud enough for the people closest to him to hear. 

"We ready to go?" Jack asked loudly and everyone giggled before nodding. 

"Wait, why did you guys decide to meet in my room?" Dan asked and Pj smirked. 

"It was Phil's idea." He said before they left.   
\--  
"What's this place called again?" Dan asked as they stood in front of the bakery. 

"Crumbs and Doilies. My mum brought me here all the time when I was little." Pj grinned and they walked inside. 

After ordering their assorted cakes and sweets they sat down at a large table towards the back. 

"This is really good." Dan hummed as he stuffed cupcake in his mouth. 

"Let me get some." Phil said jokingly. Dan rolled his eyes and took off a piece before shoving it into his friends mouth. 

"That is good." Phil agreed and Dan giggled. 

"And you talk about me and Mark." Sean smirked and crossed his arms. 

"You see the difference is Phil and I don't share a room. I won't deny that I think he's attractive. I have a daughter." Dan listed on his fingers. Phil turned bright pink and moved slightly closer to Dan. 

"Well Christ." Mark chuckled and everyone else laughed. 

"You think I'm attractive?" Phil teased under the laughter. 

"I'd tap that." Dan winked. Phil giggled and let their thighs touch. 

"Might have to be the other way around but I might just take you up on that offer." Phil whispered. 

"Later." Dan promised as Andy moved to sit in his lap and grab a cookie from Phil's plate. 

"Hold on Andy." Phil chided as he grabbed her hand and grabbed some tissue before whipping down her face. 

"Thanks Philly." She giggled before taking his cookie and biting into it. 

As they walked out of the treat shop Louise spotted a park and they made their way over. 

"I'll push Andy on the swings with Louise." Phil said as he took the girls small hand. "You can sit down and relaxed." He gave Dan a fond smile before following the excited girl towards the swing set. 

"I know I may be going a bit past a line here, but what are your stories? I know Jack, Poppy's, Andy's and my own but I don't know any of you guys'." Dan asked suddenly once everyone was settled on the grass. 

"Well," Pj started after a moment of silence, "when I was little I knew I was peculiar. I would make things that people my age wouldn't even dream of and I could do things no one my age could do.

"At first my family was okay with it. The only thing I had to do was hide it then it'd all be okay. Then I met Chris. He was just like me and I was excited. We got along really well and he was in the same boat as me. Then we started dating. After that we told our parents. Both chased us out then we ended up here."

"My parents were murdered." Mark sighed sadly. "I was at school and when I came home mom and dad were face down in a puddle of blood. It was the Red Nights." Dan flinched slightly. 

"Apparently they'd refused to give my location and, as a result, were killed. I was immediately brought here." He finished. 

As everyone went on with their stories Dan noticed that the Red Nights were a common theme. 

\---

That night as Dan lay in bed with Andy at his side he squeezed his eyes shut. 

He'd hurt so many people. 

It was all his fault.


	8. Chapter 7

-chapter 7-

Dan had never been a fan of dreams.

Most people described them as fantasies that took you away from the horror of reality but for Dan-

It was his personal hell

\---

_Silence._

_"Are okay Dan?" A soft voice asked. It was so painfully familiar that Dan had to sit up and open his eyes._

_"Of course I am Cris." Dan said with the roll of his eyes. It was his thirteenth birthday and his best friend sat in front of him with curious eyes._

_Cris had been brought in two years ago and the two had been best mates ever since._

_Cris' blue eyes turned curious as he tilted his head at Dan._

_"Why'd you do this to me Danny?" He asked in a ringing childlike voice._

_Dan froze and realized he couldn't move_

_"Oh cmon Dan. Don't you remember? You're the reason I'm here." He asked. His face was twisted into a smirk and his eyes turned and icey blue._

_"Why can't I move?" Dan croaked._

_"I remember it like it was yesterday." He drawled as he stood and everything fell away._

_Dan was chained to a chair and stuck in a white room._

_"You walked into my house with pitch black eyes." He crossed his arms and chuckled._

_"Then you ripped their hearts out." He laughed maniacally then he was gone._

_The room was splattered with blood._

_"Look at me Dan." He whispered. "Look what you did."_

_When he reappeared his skin was decomposing and his eyes were a dull gray. Water began to drip onto the floor._

_"They put bricks on my feet and left me in the ocean. All because you got attached. How many other people did you kill Danny?" He asked. Dan closed his eyes._

_"Look what you did to me!" He screamed._

_Blood was everywhere. There was screaming._

_"LOOK AT ME!"_

\---

Dan shook violently before waking up.

His screams didn't stop and he refused to open his eyes.

"Dan, please."

"IM SORRY!" He screamed. He couldn't stop. No matter how much he yelled memories wouldn't leave.

No sorry could bring them back.

"Dan! You're scaring us!"

"IM SORRY IM SORRY IM SORRY!"

"Finally. Nurse, please. Calm him down."

Dan suddenly felt as if something warm had just been drizzled down the back of his kneck then all over his body.

The calm didn't block out the voices. He may not have been outwardly screaming but on the inside he was screaming to burst his lungs.

"Jessy Oswald, Elma Dotson, Vernon Clove, James Perrin, Kirt Nadina-"

"Who are they?" A vaguely familiar voice asked softly.

"Kate Jackson, Tessa Jackson, Marina Clove, Alex Dawson, Damian Sander, Ferdenan Bluke, Bailey Perrin-"

"Wait, I know some of those names."

"Sarah Mcloughlen, Terry Hughes, Melany Hughes, Donna Fichback, Derek Fichback-"

"How does he know my parents names?"

"We better put him under."

Even after the darkness the names didn't stop.

Neither did the voices.

\---  
[P.L]

Phil stared down at his friend in horror. They were standing around his bed in the infirmary and Phil had never seen someone have such a restless sleep.

"Do you think you can help him?" Phil asked Hannah, his friend, who had the ability to show people's dreams or pasts.

"I could take his nightmare but to do that you all would have to see it." She said quietly and Phil only nodded.

"Can't be that bad."

Phil knew that as soon as the projector-like screen popped up over Dan's chest that it could be really bad.

Dan was being dragged down a freakishly clean gray hallway.

He looked to be only five or six years old and he already had an empty and sullen look in his young face.

The silence was thick as they pushed Dan into a room that held nothing but a chair made of metal spikes and weights.

Dan was placed onto the chair and his eyes bulged.

"Until you do it we'll add a weight." One man promised before they both left the room.

Dan began to sob as he sank further and further into the spikes.

It seemed like hours later and he had three weights on each arm and spikes sticking up through his thighs. His screams ripped through the air of the room and rang through everyone's ears.

Mark leaned over and threw up his breakfast.

Finally, Dan began to slowly move upward. Before long he was hovering over the chair and a look of relief smoothed his face.

The wounds on his thighs began to close and his body leaned backward.

When the men walked back into the room they were surprised to see Dan floating limply in the air, completely healed.

As soon as the projector disappeared Dan's face smoothed over. He looked much younger than usual.

His skin seemed to be glowing and a small smile was tugging at his lips.

"That was... some nightmare." Sean whispered. His face had turned a shade of green that strongly rivaled his hair.

Everyone looked at Hannah who's face was stained with tears.

"That wasn't a nightmare. That really happened." She whispered in a broken and horrified voice.

She reached down and grabbed Dan's hand. The projector popped up again.

This time it wasn't a nightmare. Phil was sure of that.

Dan was sitting on top of a hill. He wore a soft pink knit sweater and black jeans. His eyes were closed and his curls swayed in the wind. His lips were pulled into a soft smile.

"I wish I could feel like this more often." He whispered and his voice was soft and echoey.

"That's my poppa." Andy whispered. Phil, who hadn't even realized she was in the room, picked her up and rested her on his hip.

"We'll always be here for you." The field was suddenly filled with people.

Two of which stood behind Dan. Their images were slightly blurred around the edges but Phil could see the pride on their faces. They seemed familiar.

The rest of the people were the people that surrounded Phil at that exact moment.

Then he noticed, sitting next to Dan with a patient smile, was himself.

His black hair was soft and his eyes, like Dan's, were closed.

"That was a change in pace." Mark whispered as the projection disappeared.

"I've never seen something so terrible." Louis whimpered. She looked like she might never sleep again.

Jack, who's face was still a grassy green, shook his head. His eyes were squeezed shut. "Sometimes you could hear his screams. We all thought we knew what he was going through. They never went that far with us."

"What are you talking about?" Pj asked.

"You didn't see the symbols? We never did tell you where we came from did we?" Poppy asked. Her face was pale and Andy had buried her face in Phil's shoulder.

"We come from the Red Nights. We're Bloodsheds."

Bloodsheds was a term widely known for people kidnapped by the Red Nights.

As Phil looked at the four he realized how obvious it had been.

They all had this look in their eye. It was as if they had been through things that most adults would never go through in their life time. Even Andy had the look.

As Phil looked down at the girl in his arms and his friend on the bed he realized that they weren't like every other Mage at the school.

The Red Nights didn't pick at random.

He knew it was only a matter of time before they came to get their escapees back.

When he looked around Sean was being held by a determined looking Mark and Poppy was being hugged tightly by Lily. Phil looked down at Dan's smooth face and felt a surge of fond.

They all seemed to have the same thought.

They had to protect at all costs.


	9. Chapter 8

-Chapter 8-

Nobody seemed to talk about the day where a dark part of the new kids past was revealed. 

Dan barely even remembered his nightmare. Of course the memory was still there (it would haunt him for the rest of his life) he just had no memory of the night at all. He didn't remember talking to people or screaming. All he remembered was waking up to worried looking friends. 

After that day Dan had fallen into a routine. It wasn't a bad one either. He was somewhat fond of having a plan. 

Before the group knew it, though, they had another Fun Free Friday. Dan began to notice that the group had been more protective of him, Poppy, Jack and Andy. 

Phil would always be by his side. At first he thought it was weird but he began to get used to the boys presence. 

It came to a point where not having Phil by his side felt strange. 

"So where to today oh wise one?" Dan joked as he held Andy's left hand and they walked down the street. Phil, who was holding her right, shrugged with a smiled. 

"Actually I was thinking we could go somewhere with just us. That is to say you, Andy and I." A blush tinted his cheeks and he hid under his fringe. "That's only if you want to." He added quickly. 

"Of course I do you oaf." Dan giggled. 

The three separated from the rest of the group and agreed to meet up at around three. 

"So there is this place close by called Tastey Freeze. Thought we could stop and get some ice cream." Phil explained and Dan grinned. 

As they walked up to the counter Dan ordered chocolate chip for Andy and cookie dough for himself. Phil ordered pistachio then he paid and they sat down. 

"So is this a date?" Dan asked bluntly as he fed Andy a bit of his ice cream. 

"Do you want it to be?" Phil retaliated as he cleaned Andy's face and gave her a bite of his. She grinned at him then began to stuff her face with chocolate chip. 

"Yeah I do." Dan sighed and Phil nodded. 

"I was hoping you'd say that." He replied in a genuinely relieved voice. 

"Thanks for wanting to bring Andy. I haven't been in many relationships but from what I've heard partners aren't usually wanting a kid. Especially since you're nineteen and I'm seventeen." He rambled out. The more he talked the more Red his face grew. 

"Hey," Phil smiled as he tilted Dan's face up, "I'm not one of those people. If anything I've always wanted kids. Andy is great." He assured and Dan gave him a soft smile. 

"Philly can I have another bite of your patishoe?" Andy asked. Dan giggled at the complete mispronunciation of the word and shook his head. 

"Sure thing hun." Phil replied. 

Dan watched the kind exchange of Andy taking a bite then offering him some of hers. 

As Phil ate some of her ice cream and gushed to her how good it was Dan knew that the guy was a keeper. 

\----

"Where are we going?" Dan asked for the second time that day. Andy was taking a nap in his arms as Phil pulled them excitedly through the streets of London. 

"I know it's probably extremely cliche and touristy but I thought we should go to the London Eye." He said excitedly. 

"That sounds fun. I've never been." Dan said honestly and Phil smiled warmly. 

"Really? Almost every Londoner has been on at one point. I'm glad to be the person you first experience it with." He giggled as they come up to the huge Farris wheel. 

As they climbed on with a couple other people everyone moved to press their faces to the window. 

Dan and Phil joked and teased each other as they made their slow assent. 

"Poppa look." Andy whispered in awe. 

The two boys looked up to see all of London looking back at them. They could see small people walking the streets and store signs winking back at them. 

"It's beautiful." Dan whispered as the carriage slowed for them to get a good look. 

"Yeah." Phil whispered. 

Dan turned to find Phil wasn't looking at the town. Phil was looking at him with this sparkle in his eye. Dan blushed and Phil only smiled wider. 

"Thank you for putting up with me and Andy." Dan said softly as he rested a hand on his daughters head. 

Phil did the same and she beamed up at both of them. "I'm not putting up with either of you. If anything before I met you guys things hadn't been the best." He replied honestly. 

"I never did tell you about why I'm at Wellington." He was still whispering and Dan waited patiently for him to speak again. He knew that if Phil wanted to tell him he would. 

"My mum was a druggie and my dad was rogue. As soon as he found out about my powers he tried to protect me from anyone that would come for me. 

"My mum thought I was a freak and beat me when she could get her hands on me. My dad tried to keep me from her but sometimes it just didn't work. 

"My brother, Martyn, agreed with my dad that I would be better with him. He took me in and everything was fine. 

"A month later my dad was missing and my mom was dead. You can kinda guess who it was." He gave Dan a watery smile. "My dad was powerful. That's why he married someone who wasn't a Mage. He hoped to dull my powers. Martyn was born without them but I wasn't so lucky. 

"After that I tried to suppress my powers. It was painful and I'd often have outbursts of uncontrollable power. My brother brought me here. They taught me to control rather than to suppress. I'm sorry." He whispered as he wiped a stray tear from his eye and shook his head. 

"It's okay. I'm happy you told me." Dan said as he reached up and wiped away another tear. 

They hugged and for once Dan felt complete and utter content. 

 

\----

"Finally! I've been waiting for you two to get together for ages." Louis said as she sat next to Dan and Phil who were sprawled out under an oak tree at the park. 

Dan had rested his head in Phil's lap and Andy was next to him making flower crowns. 

"I haven't been here that long." Dan chuckled and Phil twisted a finger through his curls. 

"Honestly, I've been waiting since you first met." Mark sighed as he sat down with Jack. 

"You're one to talk." Dan snorted as he stared pointedly at the two's interlocked fingers. 

"Dan do you know that guy?" Lily asked suddenly as she gestured towards a man in a black hood. 

Everyone turned around and Dan sat up to see. 

He wished he hadn't. 

His face flushed and his eyes widened. 

The man's lips pulled into a small smirk and Dan could almost hear his gruff voice in his ear. 

"We need to go." Dan said as he rushed to stand up. The man was slowly moving forward. "Don't let him see your faces." Dan hissed and they left the park as quick as possible. 

"Who was that?" Phil asked as they entered the safety pf the school. "Why was he staring at you?" Questions buzzed around Dan's mind as he rushed through the halls and up to his room. 

The constant questions were just background noise that bounced around his skull in muffled tones. 

"Poppa why was he here?" Andy asked as she stuffed her face into his shoulder. "I thought they would leave us alone."

"It's okay babe. He won't hurt you." Dan murmured as he bounced her on his hip and she cried into his neck. 

"Who was that?" Phil asked in a firmer voice. 

"He's the leader of th-them." Dan stuttered out. He didn't have to say the name for everyone to know who he was talking about. 

The Red Nights were back and they weren't leaving without their favorite little Bloodshed.


	10. Chapter 9

-Chapter 9-

The training room was mostly deserted except for a few people scattered through. 

There were a select four stood in a circle almost as if they were in a meeting. 

Those four people included Caspar, Dan, Phil and Mark.

"I don't know Phil." Dan mumbled. Mark looked a bit iffy as well but Caspar and Phil had a determined look in their eyes. 

"I mean it's worth a shot. It's not often you see someone with multiple powers use them all at once." Phil shrugged and Dan worried his lip between his teeth. 

"Exactly. It's unheard of. In all honestly it's somewhat absurd. Who knows what might happen?" Dan asked. 

"We'll be here to help I you need it." Mark told him as they stepped back and Dan nodded slowly. 

"First let's start with fire." Phil said and Dan nodded. 

His arms burst into flames and his eyes turned a deep shade of crimson with orange specks. Phil's mouth parted in slight awe before he shook it off. 

"Now levitate." Mark instructed which elicited a small okay from Dan. 

His feet left the mat and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration. 

His eyes turned a strange purple. The purple was really light with the same orange specks. 

"Guys something's wrong." Dan whimpered. The fire was growing before it enveloped his entire body. 

His body rose higher before it was five feet off of the ground. 

Phil felt a small rumble and then things were flying through the air. Weights began to fly around Dan's head and he looked slightly panicked

"Calm down Dan. We're right here." Caspar called in a soothing voice. Dan nodded and took a deep breath. The fire was gone and he was slowing coming back down. 

The weights gently touched ground along with his feet. 

"Dan?" Mark asked as the boy refused to open his eyes. Phil tilted his head and when Dan did open his eyes the other three's eyes widened. 

Dan's eyes, even the whites, were pitch black. There wasn't a bit of color to be found yet there was still something there. 

It was like looking into his soul. 

When he blinked the black was replaced by the normal honey brown that Phil had come to love. 

"Are you alright?" He asked as he rushed to his friends side 

Dan smiled brightly up at him and nodded. 

"Never been better." He promised. 

\----

"I've never done this before." Dan giggled as he propped a blanket up on the sofa. 

"Well I will be your building instructor today." Phil teased as they piled up pillows on the floor. 

"Enough flirting you two." Jack joked as he clipped the edges of covers together. "I swear you're gonna make me throw up." 

"Oh stop teasing them Jack." Poppy snorted as she knocked him upside the head. He scowled at her and hit her with a pillow. 

"Okay okay settle down. I think we're ready." Louise called as she walked out of the kitchen with multiple bowls of popcorn. 

"Peej is coming in with the sweets. We completely raided the store for this." Chris chuckled as he sat next to Louise. 

"What are we watching?" Dan asked as Andy crawled into his lap and made faces at Phil. 

"We are having a Harry Potter movie marathon." Mark called from the kitchen. "I haven't seen them in forever."

"I've actually never seen the movies." Dan shrugged as he gave Andy a kiss on the forehead. 

Offended gasps rang around the room as they stared at him in horror. 

"You've never-?" Louise asked before she pointed at Pj, who'd just entered the room carrying multiple bags of junk food, and cried; "Put in the first movie! STAT!"

That's how the entire group piled up on Dan's living room floor and watched through the Harry Potter movies. 

After The Goblet of Fire. dan looked around and noticed that almost everyone was asleep. 

The only people awake were Joe, Phil, Pj, Sean and himself. 

"This was a great idea." Pj sighed as he cuddled against Chris and watched the movie through half lidded eyes. In a matter of seconds he was asleep. 

"Armatures." Jack snorted as he continued to watch the movie. He was wide awake. 

"I'm surprised you aren't tired yet." Dan chucked and Jack rolled his eyes. 

"Sleep is for the weak." He said in a dignified voice. 

"Well I guess I'm very weak." Joe yawned and curled up. "Night guys." The remaining three bid him goodnight before his light snores joined the others. 

"Then there were three." Phil joked and Dan thumped him. 

Around the time of Half Blood Prince Sean was sprawled out with one arm over Poppy's face and on leg on Casper's chest. He was fast asleep and snored slightly louder than everyone else. 

"I didn't take you for much of a night owl." Dan yawned and Phil smiled fondly. 

"C-Can I ask you something?" Phil asked. Dan debated answering with 'you just did' but he saw the nervousness in Phil's eyes and decided against it. 

"Yeah sure." He whispered. 

"Can- Will you be my boyfriend? I get if it's too sudden but I really like you and-" Phil was cut off by a soft kiss on the lips. 

His body relaxed and when they pulled away Dan beamed at him. 

"Of course I will." He said softly. Phil gave him a glowing grin and they fell asleep holding hands. 

That night Dan had the best sleep of his life. There were no nightmares. Everything was calm. 

What Dan forgot to remember was that there was always calm before a massive storm.


	11. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just uploaded so many chapters. I love writing this and I know exactly how this will end.

-Chapter 10-

(ONE MONTH LATER)

It was another Fun Free Friday (they had been getting a lot lately) and Dan was horribly lost. 

It was his first time being alone in London and he was bordering on having a panic attack. 

He'd just wanted to find a bloody bathroom and then got himself lost. 

Of course. 

He couldn't help but feel eyes burning into him. He felt really uneasy as he walked at a quicker pace. 

Then something gripped by his color and he was dragged into an ally way. A hand covered his mouth and held his wrists. 

"Hey Danny." The voice whispered. Tears sprang to the boys eyes. 

"If you know what's good for you you'll come back willingly. We've missed you." He chuckled and Dan let out a choked sob. 

"Unless we take you and your little friends." He added almost as an after thought. 

Dan was nodding his head wildly and full on crying. 

"You'll do it? That's what I thought. See you tonight." Dan was let go and he mopped up his tears as he stumbled out of the ally. 

He tried to organize himself and set off towards the park. 

Once he arrived he smiled warmly when he saw his friends running around with worried looks. 

"Hey." He said softly and everyone stopped. Phil let out a worried noise before running over and hugging him. 

"You had me so worried." He said and pulled away. "I actually went through physical exercise for you." He laughed. 

Dan grinned sadly and hugged him. 

"I'm fine." He lied before he was yanked into a group hug. 

"Wow you guys must have been worried." Dan chuckled and Sean smiled at him. 

"We're just glad you're okay." He said honestly. 

Andy hugged his leg and beamed at him. She seemed happy that he was okay. 

"Let's get back home." Poppy sighed as they made their way back to Wellington. 

Dan only had one word buzzing in his head. A word he hadn't realized he'd begun to associate with the school. 

Home.

\----

Dan checked his watch nervously and kept glancing at the clock on his wall. 

After ages of waiting he sensed them. 

He waved his hand and a small camera appeared in the corner. He made sure it was hidden before looking at Andy who had been watching him with worried eyes. 

"Let's play hide and seek." He whispered as he crouched in front of his daughter. Her eyes went wide and she shook her head. 

"Listen." He told her and she stopped. 

"I need you to go to my room then teleport to Louise's. Wait an hour then tell her to come find me. Make sure she gets everyone else first okay?" She nodded slowly and he gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. 

"I love you poppa." She said as she got on her toes and kissed his cheek. Then she ran to his room and with a soft crack disappeared. 

The door opened and he came in with the others. 

"Ready Dan?" He asked. Dan could hear the smirk in his voice. 

"Yeah I'm ready."


End file.
